Revisited: Triumph Spitfire Mark III

The last time this car appeared here thirty three years ago I found it in a dark grocery store parking lot.
I still think this is a Mark III, regardless of what it says on the trunk, which places it somewhere in the late 60s or 1970. It's stil a mishmash, with sidemarker lights on the rear fenders but not on the front. The license plate has changed, so I suspect it has a new owner.

1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500

I first found this car on a busy street downtown. I got a few pictures, then the owner arrived. I complemented her on her car, and told her it was too bad I could not get any more pictures. This happens more often than I'd like. And off she went. I could not beleive my luck when I happen upon the car again in the next neighbourhood a half hour later. Only #4 and #5 are pictures I took in the first location.

Love how the colour of the grille is subtly matched to the interior. At the time I didn't notice the well used "FIRE MISSILES" button and the brass SCCA plaque on the dashboard.

1968 Triumph GT6 Mk I

Triumph Spitfire Mark III

This is a confusing car. It is definitely not a "Triumph Spitfire 4 Mark 2", as the badge suggests. After a bit of Wikipedia & web searching, my guess is it's a mishmash, perhaps based on a Mark III from the 1960s. The seats suggest it is a much newer model, maybe a 1500, but the tail lights and body panels are from an older model.

1975 BMW 2002

1971 Triumph Stag

1972 BMW 2002

Many -- including me -- thought this a dumpy little car when it was new. Hey, where's the fastback? the big engine? the swoopy design?  Of course we all know how that worked out.

Love the three segment circular tailights, hood and trunk shutlines that merge with the chrome strip, simple and purposeful controls, classic grille & headlights, the over all "box leaning forward" shape. Features which were basically unchanged for more than a decade.

The badge on the grille says "Automóvil Club Argentino".